Afghan mayor slams Canadian corruption
By MURRAY BREWSTER The Canadian Press Thu, Dec 16 - 4:54 AM
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KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Western governments that call Afghanistan a hotbed of corruption ought to mind the old maxim about glass houses and throwing stones, the mayor of Kandahar city suggests in a stern letter to Ottawa that accuses Canadian officials of playing fast and loose with taxpayer dollars.
In a letter to Canada’s ambassador earlier this month, Ghulam Hayder Hamidi complained that Ottawa’s contracting practices are contributing to the culture of malfeasance in Afghanistan. He also expressed similar concerns about the United States and Britain.
"Your prime minister, (U.S.) President (Barack) Obama and the prime minister of England are complaining that we didn’t clean the corruption in Afghanistan (and) they will stop helping," Hamidi said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.
"Who is doing the corruption? You are doing the corruption."
The letter, delivered earlier this month to Canada’s civilian representative in Kandahar, suggests that the federal government is being taken to the cleaners by a handful of guileful Afghan companies. As an example, he cited a recent $1.9-million project to install solar lights that has been plagued by problems.
Hamidi also accused Canadian civilians of spending taxpayer dollars needlessly and ineffectively in some areas, and companies selected by federal officials of providing low quality merchandise, or services at inflated prices.
In one case, after an attempt on his life in March 2009, Hamidi said officials bought him the US$139,000 luxury model of an armour-plated SUV when all he needed was the base model — a price difference of US$44,000.
"We told them we didn’t need a luxury" vehicle, said Hamidi, who spent three decades as an accountant in Arlington, Va., before becoming Kandahar’s mayor.
The model and type of the mayor’s vehicle were not identified for security reasons. But it came with no warranty and broke down soon after arriving in Kandahar, Hamidi said.
The contractor eventually sent mechanics to Kandahar and Hamidi waited weeks for the repairs. In the interim, he borrowed a friend’s car.
The vehicle was fixed, but Hamidi said it has continued to give him trouble.
Tim Martin, who took over earlier this year as Ottawa’s top-ranking civilian representative in the hardscrabble provincial capital, said he’s met with the mayor about his concerns. But Martin said he’s standing by Ottawa’s contracting practices in Afghanistan, which he said are open to competitive bidding.
"We’re working with a partner, and he is an accountant, and he cares about this kind of thing — I’m glad when Afghan partners are bringing forward money-saving opportunities for our Canadian projects," said Martin, a former Canadian ambassador to Paraguay and Argentina.
Canadian officials have heard his concerns before and nothing has been done, Hamidi charged.
end
By MURRAY BREWSTER The Canadian Press Thu, Dec 16 - 4:54 AM
Article Link
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Western governments that call Afghanistan a hotbed of corruption ought to mind the old maxim about glass houses and throwing stones, the mayor of Kandahar city suggests in a stern letter to Ottawa that accuses Canadian officials of playing fast and loose with taxpayer dollars.
In a letter to Canada’s ambassador earlier this month, Ghulam Hayder Hamidi complained that Ottawa’s contracting practices are contributing to the culture of malfeasance in Afghanistan. He also expressed similar concerns about the United States and Britain.
"Your prime minister, (U.S.) President (Barack) Obama and the prime minister of England are complaining that we didn’t clean the corruption in Afghanistan (and) they will stop helping," Hamidi said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.
"Who is doing the corruption? You are doing the corruption."
The letter, delivered earlier this month to Canada’s civilian representative in Kandahar, suggests that the federal government is being taken to the cleaners by a handful of guileful Afghan companies. As an example, he cited a recent $1.9-million project to install solar lights that has been plagued by problems.
Hamidi also accused Canadian civilians of spending taxpayer dollars needlessly and ineffectively in some areas, and companies selected by federal officials of providing low quality merchandise, or services at inflated prices.
In one case, after an attempt on his life in March 2009, Hamidi said officials bought him the US$139,000 luxury model of an armour-plated SUV when all he needed was the base model — a price difference of US$44,000.
"We told them we didn’t need a luxury" vehicle, said Hamidi, who spent three decades as an accountant in Arlington, Va., before becoming Kandahar’s mayor.
The model and type of the mayor’s vehicle were not identified for security reasons. But it came with no warranty and broke down soon after arriving in Kandahar, Hamidi said.
The contractor eventually sent mechanics to Kandahar and Hamidi waited weeks for the repairs. In the interim, he borrowed a friend’s car.
The vehicle was fixed, but Hamidi said it has continued to give him trouble.
Tim Martin, who took over earlier this year as Ottawa’s top-ranking civilian representative in the hardscrabble provincial capital, said he’s met with the mayor about his concerns. But Martin said he’s standing by Ottawa’s contracting practices in Afghanistan, which he said are open to competitive bidding.
"We’re working with a partner, and he is an accountant, and he cares about this kind of thing — I’m glad when Afghan partners are bringing forward money-saving opportunities for our Canadian projects," said Martin, a former Canadian ambassador to Paraguay and Argentina.
Canadian officials have heard his concerns before and nothing has been done, Hamidi charged.
end